


Oh Holy Night

by Vanalosswen



Series: Beneath The Mask [2]
Category: Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 12:14:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17141558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanalosswen/pseuds/Vanalosswen
Summary: After their adventures in Inaba, Yu Narukami and Rise Kujikawa were happy to settle into a normal life in Tokyo. But the best laid plans often go awry, and when the sky shatters on Christmas Eve, they find themselves called back into battle to support the Phantom Thieves.





	1. Oh Holy Night

“Honey, I’m home!” Rise caroled happily as she came through the door, dropping her bag and kicking her shoes off with a sigh of relief. “Finally, my goodness!”

“Muh-muh!” Ichiro squealed, waving his arms at his mother from his seat on his father’s lap across the room. “Muh-muh!”

“Oh, I missed you too, my sweet,” Rise said, swooping in to kiss her child. “And of course I missed you too, my darling.” She kissed Yu, lingering for a moment as she let herself relax. The life of an idol was tricky sometimes, especially since she was coming back into the performing world after giving birth in April. She’d managed to keep news of her pregnancy and baby away from the idol news outlets, preferring to keep her personal life private.

“Welcome home,” Yu said, smiling up at her with warm brown eyes. “We had a lovely time today, didn’t we, Ichi-chan?”

Ichiro blew a raspberry, making a face and grabbing his mother’s shoulders.

“Yes, he had a bath,” Yu chuckled. “Which he was very displeased about.”

“I can imagine!” Rise laughed, swooping her son up and dancing with him around the room. “But they are necessary, my sweet.”

Ichiro made another face, patting at her shoulders and shaking his head firmly.

“But you smell so clean and sweet,” Rise cajoled, kissing his chubby neck and nuzzling his cheeks. “Don’t you like being clean and lovely?”

“Muh-muh,” Ichiro huffed, shaking his head.

Rise laughed and leaned into Yu as he stood up and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Dinner will be ready soon,” he told her, kissing the top of her head. “How is the show coming together?”

“Everything’s ready for the big day,” Rise said with a grin. “I had to work with the dance coach a little longer than expected, that’s why I’m late. Figuring out the steps after the months away was harder than I thought it would be.” She stepped through an eight count of the routine, bouncing Ichiro on her hip as she went. “But he approved of the final result by the time he let me leave, so that’s all I can ask for. What’s for dinner?”

“Curry. Your favorite variety, too.”

Rise squealed happily, wrapping an arm around his neck and kissing him. “Thank you, my love,” she said, beaming at him. “That’s the perfect ending to today. Do you need anything from the shops before dinner? I can take the munchkin if you need a quick break.”

Yu glanced at the door and considered. “Actually, yes, our favorite sweets are on sale. I’ll be right back, promise.”

“Take your time,” Rise said, waving at him. “I need to cuddle our boy some more so he forgives me for vanishing.”

“Muh-muh!” Ichiro exclaimed.

“Yes!” Rise chirped right back at him.

Laughing, Yu slipped his shoes on and headed out, smiling as he listened to his wife and child arguing over whether he would forgive her. She’d been home the most with Ichiro since he was born, since Yu’s workload had increased with the mental shutdowns and everything surrounding them. A lot of people came to him, afraid that they were going to be next because they were dealing with their depressions or fears.

Waving at the secondhand shop owner as he passed by the front, Yu glanced at the television the older man always had going. That’s where he had seen the Phantom Thieves’ calling card for Shido, while he was out taking a walk with Ichiro. Naoto had to be right; they had to be Persona users. He couldn’t confirm for sure, since his powers remained dormant, but Naoto made a strong argument about the similarities between the Thieves and the Investigation Team, and he had to agree with her.

Was Shido the final target, then? Had the Thieves won the day? There was that very odd press conference, but nothing had happened since. Frowning to himself, Yu kicked a stone down the path. If this was Persona work (and he had no reason to doubt it was), it wouldn’t be as simple as just taking down a corrupt politician. Persona users gathered around a Wild Card, and a Wild Card only came around when the world was about to break.

Rounding a corner, Yu looked up at the sky. The air was filled with a tension like he hadn’t felt since Inaba, the day their world broke. He’d been feeling it for days, like a thunderstorm was about to roll through, but the pressure never broke into a proper storm. That was probably why Ichiro was so cranky, if he felt it too.

“Something’s got to happen now, and something’s got to give,” he murmured, quoting one of his favorite musicals.

Ten minutes later, he’d finished his transaction and was on his way home again with the small paper bag filled with treats to share with Rise when Ichiro went to bed. Humming to himself, he tried to relax. Christmas was tomorrow, and they were excited to share their favorite traditions with Ichiro. They’d already decorated, and Rise had gotten a selection of cute holiday onesies for Ichiro. She took holidays more seriously than Yu ever had, which was good. Someone had to make sure Ichiro grew up with traditions and cheerful memories.

As he turned down the street, humming a Christmas song, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Frowning, he turned his head in time to spot a butterfly that seemed to be made of pure light. The world slowed as the flying creature turned toward him, and he swore he heard the music that had once filled his head when he visited the Velvet Room.

Then the butterfly landed on his hand, and the world shattered.

The ground shook under him, tearing apart as bones shoved through like obscene flowers arching their way up to the sky. At the same time, the threatened thunderstorm finally broke, a blood rain falling from the sky and covering the ground in an ankle-deep layer of watery blood.

Yu realized peripherally that everyone around him didn't seem to see what was happening; they kept walking along their way, pushing along to whatever they were doing. But he couldn't focus on that through the sudden horrific pain in his head. He dropped to his knees, the sweets falling into the watery blood as he clutched at his head. He might have screamed in pain, but he couldn't tell, not when everything hurt so badly.

“Yu!” Rise’s voice, seconds before she grabbed his shoulder. He looked up at her, his vision blurry with pained tears. “What's going on?” Ichiro was on her hip, blinking up in astonishment at the blood.

“I…” Yu coughed, squinting at the sky. “Don't know for sure. But I think this is it.” Then he screamed as something in his head shattered, dropping him to the ground. He dimly heard Rise shouting his name as she knelt next to him, before her voice went up in a piercing scream of pain.

After their time in Inaba, there was a blockage between him and his Persona powers. He'd felt it settle into place, walling him off from his Personas and firmly returning him to the real world. At that moment, though, as he knelt sobbing in pain, the wall exploded into a million flaming pieces of shrapnel, and he felt Izanagi-no-Okami's power blossom through his body.

_‘I am thou, thou art I. Our power is required once again to defend those who cannot stand for themselves. Stand, Wild Card, and collect your strength for the battle ahead.’_

“I hear you,” Yu gritted out through his teeth, blowing out a breath. Raising a hand up to shoulder level, he focused on his palm and grinned ferociously as the World Arcana card materialized. It spun lazily above his hand, and he stood up, crushing it in his hand and calling Izanagi-no-Okami to materialize in front of him. “Rise?”

“I'm here,” Rise said, raising her hand and holding it out in front of her. The Lovers Arcana card materialized above her palm, and she smiled as she summoned Kanzeon. Then she looked at her husband, squaring her shoulders. “I think we need the baby carrier.”

“I'll take Ichiro,” Yu said, opening his hands for the baby. “Scan the area, see where the other Persona users are.”

“The Thieves?” Rise asked, passing the baby to him before spreading her hands out to start scanning.

“Very likely. But we should find out for sure.”

Rise closed her eyes and exhaled, her power radiating out from her. Yu held still next to her, unwilling to confuse her senses when she was adjusting to having her powers again after five years. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and smiled a serene little smile. “I forgot how beautiful it is,” she said softly. “To see everything and everyone.”

“You have a gift for keeping it all organized,” Yu said softly, relishing the glow in her eyes.

“The Thieves are that direction,” Rise said, smiling at him before pointing. “I can't tell where, exactly, but close.”

“At a guess, I would say they're up there,” Yu said, pointing at the ramp of bones that rose into the sky.

“Should we go help them?”

Yu hesitated. “How many are there?”

Rise took a moment longer, her power pulsing around her in time with her heartbeat. Then she nodded. “Eight,” she said. “And one of them is like you, with the Wild Card ability. He has a full roster of strong Personas.”

Had the previous Wild Card faced a choice like this when the world shattered for them in Inaba? Maybe not. Yu had a feeling he and Rise were the only ones currently active as Persona users from the Investigation Team, and only because they were caught in the tidal wave that was Tokyo at the moment. He hesitated for a long moment before shaking his head. “We protect our neighborhood and our family,” he said, feeling the power of the Trickster settling around his shoulders again. It felt good after so many years, even though he knew it was a weaker version than what he had felt before. He wasn’t the Trickster anymore. That mantle was passed to someone else, someone fighting his way up that ramp alongside his team to face the final showdown. “We support the Thieves from here by making sure they don’t get flanked by Shadows. But that ramp of bones isn’t our fight.”

“But they're just kids,” Rise protested. “We can help…”

Yu shook his head. “They're the ones chosen for this moment,” he said quietly. “Like we were back in Inaba.” Scooping up the wet little bag of sweets, he headed back toward their house, his shoulders set in determination. He couldn't go fight a god again; the Thieves were the ones equipped with the skills and weapons for this job. But he could support from the background, and be the sort of adult he’d needed when he was the Wild Card five years ago.

Rise followed quietly, glancing back at the ramp of bones occasionally. She disagreed with him, but she also knew he had more experience with all of this than she did. She understood the lore behind a lot of what they had faced, but he’d been the one to deal directly with Igor. “Watch over them,” she whispered, pausing at the door of their house and looking back. “Keep them safe. They’re just teenagers.”

She felt Yu’s warm presence behind her and leaned back into him as he wrapped an arm around her waist. “We were too, you know,” he said softly, kissing the top of her head. “You were fifteen; I was sixteen. We were just babies.”

“It was insane when we did it, too,” Rise replied tautly. “Why does it have to be teenagers?”

“I never got a good answer on that one,” Yu said, looking out over the city. “But my theory is that it’s the perfect age to handle the balance between the fantastical and the realistic.”

Rise looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

“As teenagers, we knew how bad life could be. We’d all experienced the world, and it had affected all of us. But we still believed we could change the world and save humanity.” Yu kissed her lips lightly. “Five years later, I believe we can change lives, but I think on a smaller scale these days. I wouldn’t dream of taking on the country’s most powerful politician. These kids did, with the brash style of those who think they’re invincible.”

“But they’re not invincible,” Rise said softly. “They’re kids, and they’re vulnerable out there. The Persona power is great and all, but it also draws a massive target on their backs.”

“I think they’ve figured that part out by now,” Yu said, looking up at the ramp of bones. “Based on the negative press the Thieves have been getting? Yeah, if they’re smart, they know how big the target is on their backs.”

Rise sighed and turned, taking the baby from Yu. “Then let’s get out there and help take some of the heat off them,” she said, walking into the house to find the baby carrier.

Smiling, Yu followed her. He grabbed a leather jacket out of the closet and found his old katana. He drew the blade, studying the edge. He hadn't used it in five years, but it was still as sharp as it had been back in the day. “Never thought I'd be fighting Shadows again,” he murmured to the open air.

Sheathing the blade, Yu attached the whole kit to a belt before fastening it around his waist. It took him a moment to adjust to the weight at his hip as he slipped into his leather jacket and zipped it up.

“Well, look at you.” He turned around to see Rise, standing behind him with a hand on her cocked hip as she grinned at him. She was wearing a more sensible puffy coat to keep herself warm; since her Persona was suited for navigation rather than fighting, her role was always at the back to keep a watch on the whole field. Ichiro was strapped on her back, peering over her shoulder with big brown eyes from under his fluffy red knit cap.

“He's very Christmas themed,” Yu remarked with a chuckle, going to his wife. “Will you be warm enough?”

“I think so,” Rise nodded. She went up on her toes to kiss him, nipping his lower lip. “You look so very dangerous,” she murmured.

“Only to Shadows,” he replied with a low chuckle as he rested a hand on her waist.

Rise chuckled as she squeezed his waist. “Hold that thought,” she advised. Stepping back, she opened her hands and summoned Kanzeon, scanning the world around them. “Let's go. There's Shadows nearby.”

Yu switched over into battle mode immediately, stepping outside and drawing his blade. “Point the way,” he said, rolling his shoulders.

“This way.” Rise led the way out of the house, grabbing an umbrella on her way to protect herself and their son from the blood rain.

Once she indicated a general direction, Yu took the lead, keeping his wife and child close behind him as they scouted the area. They discovered quickly that the world wasn’t as it had been when he left to get their sweets. The place felt like a video game overlaying the real world; summoning their Personas was a lot easier than it had been back in the Television World, and once Yu’s sight adjusted to how things were, he realized he could see a map of the surrounding area if he let his eyes unfocus a little. Rise realized the same thing about the same time he did, and figured out how to get Kanzeon to mark the map with the Shadows in the area.

There were a _lot_ more than either of them expected.

Yu stared at the map for a moment before ducking into a nearby corner shop and getting some supplies. He had a hypothesis, and proved it correct when he looked at the snacks and bottled coffee with unfocused eyes. Just like the old days, the snacks and coffee would help restore their strength and energy.

“Good thinking,” Rise agreed when she saw his load. “We might need those sooner than expected.”

Yu loaded the supplies into a backpack and settled it on his back, rolling his shoulders experimentally. “All right. Let’s do this.”

The Shadows looked completely different than they had in the Television World. When Yu spotted one, he almost didn’t believe it was a Shadow at all; it looked like an angel, floating along the paths and watching benevolently over the population. Only Rise’s hissed warning got him into hiding fast enough to keep from being spotted, and he wiped his forehead as he readied himself. “Angels?” he whispered.

“Great way to keep people from questioning, if they can see them at all,” Rise whispered back. “Everything thinks angelic beings are here to help us, after all.” She peeked over the edge of the table they were hiding behind. “Okay, it’s not looking. Go!”

Yu slid out of hiding with all of his old athletic grace, drawing his sword as he raced up behind the Shadow. Thankfully, these angel-things seemed to be as stupid as the old Shadows they’d fought; it didn’t hear him coming until he stabbed it straight through the chest. Then it screamed as it dissolved into shapes he recognized: he had Principality registered back in his old compendium.

“Shit,” Yu whispered as the world dissolved around him into a battle plain. He’d been used to a battle plain edged in the yellow that defined the Television World; this one was sharply stylish, filled with red and black and white. Since it wasn’t what he was used to, he decided it had to be based on the Thieves’ view of the world. Which made sense. This was their fight, the culmination of their efforts for the last months, so the world bent to their perception.

“You’ve got this,” Rise said, her voice coming out of the thin air next to his ear. “You still have the Personas you last had in your personal store, besides Izanagi-no-Okami, of course.”

“I’ve never liked fighting alone,” Yu grumbled, readying his sword. He had the advantage on the Shadows, at least, which gave him time to prepare a strategy. He had experience fighting Shadows that were impervious to Light attacks and were vulnerable to Dark attacks, so he knew what to do to knock it over.

Rise provided tactical advice as he worked. He took her advice and called Alice forth. The Persona shaped like a little girl always gave him the creeps, but her darkness powers were undeniably the strongest in his repertoire. She smiled a wicked little smile as he cast ‘Die For Me’, dropping the Principality Shadows fairly quickly. “Do you think all of the Shadows are themed after the angelic Personas?” Yu asked, sheathing his sword as the battle plain vanished. A small packet of money was left behind; he tossed it in his backpack absently.

“It seems reasonable,” Rise said, her eyes unfocused as she scanned the area around them. After a moment, she scowled in irritation. “It’s the oddest thing. I’m both stronger and weaker than I was five years ago.”

“How do you mean?”

“I can scan further than I ever could back in Inaba. That may be because the area that needs scanning is larger than our battle arenas back then. But I can’t identify what the Shadows are at a distance, so we’re going to have to hunt down every one of them and gut them in order to figure out what they are.”

Yu remembered the gleam of arousal in her eyes when she saw him in his makeshift Shadow-hunting gear. His beloved had a streak of bloodlust that seldom came out in her day-to-day life; he rather enjoyed seeing it again. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he kissed her thoroughly. “Then let us begin the hunt,” he murmured against her mouth.

The next couple hours passed in a blur of Shadow-hunting. Yu’s hypothesis that all of the Shadows were themed after the angelic Personas proved correct, which made fighting them a breeze. He figured out his strategy pretty quickly, and only paused for breath when he was out of energy to command his Persona.

Rise sat next to him during one of those breaks, sipping her cold coffee and feeding Ichiro over her shoulder. Their son was remarkably quiet on her back, only speaking up now and again with a string of babble when he thought something was particularly interesting.

“How are you holding up, love?” Yu asked, resting a hand on her thigh. They had abandoned the umbrella some time ago, since the bloody water was kicking up around them and soaking their clothes from bottom to top. Her face was streaked with blood, which was an alarming sight.

Reaching over her shoulder, Rise took Ichiro’s hat off and wrung it out. “I’m tired,” she admitted as Yu took the hat from her and put it back on their son. “Carrying him around isn’t as easy as it used to be, and I had the dance rehearsal for hours today.”

“Do you want me to take him? Most of my strategy doesn’t require me getting very close.”

“No,” Rise shook her head. “You still need your mobility to get the drop on them. Your strategy won’t be useful if you can’t sneak up on them.” She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. “Besides, it’s invigorating to be out here, back on the front lines, in a manner of speaking. The adrenaline is incredible.”

Something shifted in the air around them, and Yu stood up, looking around. He couldn’t see far enough to get a sense for what was happening. “Something’s happening,” he said, standing on the bench and jumping for the lip of a ledge above them. The surface was slick, but he managed to get purchase. “Scan and see if you can figure it out?”

“You could have asked before parkouring away like a monkey!” Rise called after him, but she was laughing. He grinned, saluting her with two fingers before scrambling up the roof to get a better view.

Now that he was up high enough, he could see the circling angels all the way out to the horizon. They weren’t looking up at him, which was a blessing, and they didn’t seem to be attacking people. Still, thinning their ranks could only help the Thieves.

The ground-level view, though, couldn’t compare to the view above the city. Squinting against the rain, Yu realized he could see the Thieves on the ramp leading into an otherworldly structure. They were too far away to get details, but he caught sight of a distinctive black coat blowing in the wind. Based on Shido’s calling card, that was their leader, codenamed Joker. He was the only Thief that had a coat like that.

“Joker,” Yu murmured to himself. “The Wild Card in the deck.” That had to be him, then. That slim teenager was the Wild Card, leading the way up the ramp. It was surreal, watching his younger counterpart taking the turns with easy grace and leaping across gaps. Had he looked like that when he was a teenager?

As he watched, the teenagers reached the top of the ramp. The platform at the top was slightly tilted, allowing Yu to get a good look at the whole group. They hesitated outside the door for a moment, and he could almost hear the argument the Investigation Team would have in a similar situation: should they go charging straight in, or should they rest for a moment? Yu smiled to himself, remembering similar arguments between his teammates. Yosuke and Kanji were the impetuous ones, demanding onward action, while Rise and Naoto tended toward demanding rest.

Joker stood slightly off to the side of the group, standing in a way that looked very familiar to the former Wild Card. His hands were in his pockets as he leaned against a pillar, his heels inches from a fall of hundreds of feet. His posture was surprisingly relaxed, given how close he was to a deadly fall, and Yu shook his head. All Wild Cards apparently shared some tendencies.

That apparently included the tendency to let everyone else argue out the problem before weighing in. Someone in a bright red outfit with shockingly blonde hair gestured at the doorway, getting into someone else’s face, and Joker stepped forward a little, holding up a hand. Yu couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he watched as the tension drained out of the group. The person closest to the doorway flopped on the ground, and the rest of the team followed suit after a moment.

Joker waited a moment before pulling open a bag and passing things around. Cooler heads had apparently prevailed, and Yu blew out a breath of relief as he nodded to himself. Good. If this situation was anything like the final conflict the Investigation Team had faced, they would need all of their strength to handle it.

Yu turned back toward the edge of the roof, but paused and looked up again. He wasn’t sure he’d ever see the Thieves again, and a part of him wanted to run for the ramp and join them. They looked so young, even in their costumes, and he wanted so desperately to help them.

As he looked at them, Joker turned and looked out over the city. Yu caught his breath as the young Thief scanned the area, his red-gloved hand resting on the pillar next to him. All of the careless indolence had vanished from his posture, and Yu realized he was looking at a predator, coiled for action. _‘Good,’_ he thought, nodding in approval. The world needed a predator to watch over it, and it eased his heart to know the next generation was ready to take up the baton.

Then Joker turned his head and went very still as he saw Yu. He tilted his head a little to the side, clearly curious about this man standing on a roof with a katana at his hip. They were too far apart to talk, so Yu did the next best thing: he drew his katana and performed a perfect fencer’s salute.

Joker hesitated a moment, then reached behind his back and pulled out a small blade that flashed in the chancy sunlight. He twirled it deftly between his hands in a gesture that was heartbreakingly reminiscent of Yosuke’s knife tricks before pulling it to his heart and returning the salute.

Smiling to himself, Yu sheathed his katana again and started down the roof. He felt Joker’s eyes on him all the way down until he was out of sight, and he got the impression the young man saw more than was immediately visible on the surface.

“What did you see?” Rise asked as Yu jumped down to join her again. “Are you all right? You were up there a while.”

“The Thieves are taking a rest before going into the building the ramp leads to,” Yu explained, sitting next to her and finishing his bottled coffee. “Whatever happens now is entirely in their hands.”

That turned out to be only partially true.

Yu lost track of time as they kept up the pressure on the Shadows, but he figured it couldn’t have been more than about an hour before the world started feeling like it was being stretched thin. Something was happening, something to do with the fight the Thieves were fighting. He couldn’t see them from ground level, but he suspected they were in the otherworldly building, based on the tension in the world. “Rise?” he called.

“They’re fighting something _massive_ ,” Rise said, her voice taut with fear. “Bigger than Izanami, and powered by everyone in Tokyo.”

He would have sworn a blue streak, but Ichiro was right there, and if they survived the day, he didn’t want his son learning a bunch of new swear words from his father. “ _How_ is that happening?”

“Their belief, I think. Or…apathy? People want to stay oblivious, and the thing in there is keeping them asleep.” Then Rise cried out, her eyes wide as she jolted back a step. “ _Never mind!_ ”

“What? What happened?”

“The thing isn’t connected to Tokyo any more!”

All around them, people were starting to react to the blood rain, crying out in fear as they ran from the Shadows and the ankle-deep water. The two Persona users had an actual fight on their hands now, as the Shadows became agitated and tried to herd the people into groups.

“Dammit!” Yu roared, flying at the closest clump and taking down a group of Angel Shadows. “Rise! Get them to safety!”

“Over here!” Rise called, waving at the clump of people Yu had just freed from the Shadows. “Come on, we’ll protect you!”

The people headed for her, blinded by panic. She got them into a shop and closed the door, standing guard with Kanzeon at her back. “I’ve got them,” she said. “Go, get others to safety!”

“I’m not leaving you, Rise,” Yu returned firmly. “Come on, if we keep them busy, they won’t come this way.”

Rise looked torn, but ultimately decided it wasn’t a good idea to split the party, especially when there were only two of them to begin with. “What I wouldn’t give to have the rest of the team here,” she grumbled, running to her husband.

“You and me both,” Yu agreed, grabbing her hand as they took off down a side street toward Shibuya Square. It was the most densely packed area in the immediate vicinity, and they had a feeling they would be needed to help keep the chaos contained.

The minutes stretched by like hours as Yu fought his way through packs of Shadows and freed screaming people from their clutches. Not many people had enough presence of mind to ask him who he was and what he was doing, but when asked who he was, he said, “A Phantom Thief, we’re here to help.” He figured the real Phantom Thieves wouldn’t mind too much, not when they were getting some ground support.

They never made it to Shibuya Square. As they broke free of a large clump of people, the sky started pulsing, pressing a question into the minds of everyone within range: _“Do the Phantom Thieves really exist?”_

Yu looked up at the sky, wiping sweat and bloody water off his face. “Yes!” he shouted at the sky. He didn’t know why this was so important, but he trusted his instincts, especially when it came to Persona business, and something told him this was a life-or-death question. “The Phantom Thieves really exist!”

Rise took up the cry next, using her powerful singing voice to echo his affirmation. “I believe in the Phantom Thieves!”

All around them, people looked up at the sky. From below, the battle looked like a thunderstorm in progress, light and shadow clashing and reflecting like lightning across the sky. Someone near Yu shouted, “I believe in those kids!”

“Phantom Thieves!” someone else shouted. And then the area was filled with a cacophony of shouts and screams of support, a few begging the sky for help, and people chanting “Phantom Thieves!”

Yu shaded his eyes to protect them from the rain, squinting at the sky. He couldn’t see a damn thing through the clouds. “Rise, what’s going on up there?” he called over the shouts and screams.

Rise didn’t answer. Instead, she reached out and took his hand, lacing their fingers together as she held onto him tightly. Her eyes were wide and unfocused as she stared up at the sky, not blinking as the rain covered her face. “I believe in you, Joker,” she whispered, and Yu felt Kanzeon’s power flowing out of Rise and up into the sky.

Seconds later, the sky shredded apart with an ear-shattering explosion, knocking everyone back a step. For a moment, Yu’s vision whited out completely, reminding him of his final moments as the Wild Card before the final confrontation, and he gasped for air as the memories pushed at his mind.

Then Izanagi-no-Okami whispered, _‘We have overcome, Wild Card. You fought well. Thank you.’_

Yu’s vision cleared, and the world was back to normal around them. No bones, no watery blood rain, no angelic Shadows. Just a street filled with the normal hustle and bustle of people getting ready for Christmas.

Looking around, Yu sheathed his katana with a little grunt of exhaustion. Izanagi-no-Okami was gone, leaving a painfully empty spot in his mind where the Persona had lived again for a few glorious hours, but Rise and Ichiro were safe, as was the rest of the world. The Thieves had won the day.

His knees suddenly felt like jelly, and Yu leaned heavily on a nearby bench as he bowed his head. Rise sat down on the bench, resting her elbows on her knees and letting her head hang in exhaustion. “We did it,” she said, her voice soft. “They did it.”

“Yes,” Yu agreed softly. Then he looked toward Shibuya Square, frowning a little. “I’ll be right back, love. I…need to check something.”

Rise reached up, grabbing the hem of his leather jacket and pulling him down for a firm kiss. “Hurry back,” she said.

Nodding, Yu returned the kiss with a smile before heading for the square. He took longer to get there than usual, underlining exactly how exhausted he was, but he made it there at last and leaned heavily against a newspaper stand.

A group of teenagers were gathered in the middle of the square, all of them looking as exhausted as he felt. He was in normal clothes again, but Yu recognized Joker. There was something about him that immediately told the former Wild Card who he was; even leaning on a lamppost for support, he had an air of command about him as he checked with his teammates to make sure everyone was all right. 

Joker looked up at the sky, and Yu saw grief etched into every line of his face. What had happened between the battle and his arrival? Then Yu did a headcount of the Thieves and realized there were only seven. There had been eight when Rise scanned them, and he had seen eight on the platform. Where was the cat creature?

“Morgana…” the redhead whimpered, hugging her knees.

Another girl with curly hair knelt next to the redhead, hugging her around the shoulders. “He did what he came here to do,” she said softly. Her high voice wavered and cracked, and Yu saw her blinking away tears. “Mona-chan…he taught us so much. We wouldn’t be here without him.”

“No, we wouldn’t,” Joker agreed, and Yu startled at how rich the teenager’s voice was. He’d never heard the Wild Card talk. Joker turned to his teammates, absently rubbing his chest over his heart. “We’re all tired. It’s been a long several days. Let’s go home and get some rest.”

The brunette girl took his hand, looking up at him. “Are you sure, Ren?” she asked softly. “Are you going to be all right?”

Ren. He had a first name at last. Yu looked down at the newspaper stand, pretending to read the front page to hide his sudden delight. He needed to keep an eye on these kids, and having names helped a lot.

“I’m sure, Mako,” Joker replied, leaning down and kissing her. “I have an errand to do before I go home; meet me at the café?”

Yu turned and slipped away. These kids had enough to deal with at the moment without trying to handle a strange adult approaching them, especially if they were as suspicious of adults as the Investigation Team had been.

Rise was waiting for him where he had left her, and she smiled an exhausted little smile when she saw him. “How are they?”

“Exhausted. Grieving. But taking the time they need to heal.” Yu helped Rise to her feet. “Let’s go get some rest ourselves, my love. We have a celebration tomorrow, for our son’s first Christmas.”

“Baby’s first Christmas, like his onesie says,” Rise murmured, leaning against him and closing her eyes.

“Let’s get you home, before you fall asleep on your feet,” Yu said, kissing her temple.

They made their tired way home, garnering some amused glances at the katana on Yu’s hip and the baby chattering on Rise’s back. He was wide-awake, even as his parents were about to drop. Rise theorized that he fed off their exhaustion like a sleep vampire, which made Yu laugh harder than the joke deserved. They definitely needed some sleep.

Stumbling through their front door, Rise handed Ichiro to Yu. “He needs a bath, a change, and bed. Preferably in that order.”

Yu chuckled and took the baby. “I’ve got him, don’t worry.”

“Oh good. I need a shower.” Rise kissed him before going to the bathroom and closing the door.

Ichiro squawked in disapproval as his mother vanished, but subsided as Yu took him into the kitchen. “Let’s get you some dinner,” Yu suggested, kissing his son’s face. It hardly seemed real that he had been fighting Shadows again, only an hour ago. That was a part of his life that was over, closed off. He was a husband now, a father, and his responsibilities were right here with his son. He was a little sad to let that part of his life go, but as Ichiro smeared food all over himself and laughed, Yu knew he preferred this chapter. His son and wife were his world.

Rise finished her shower as Ichiro finished eating everything he could shove into his mouth, and she laughed as she helped Yu strip their son down so he could get clean in the shower with his father. She also helped Yu strip down, with a wicked grin that told him _she_ wasn’t too tired to celebrate their victory over the Shadows.

Later that night, when Ichiro was fast asleep cuddling his stuffed replica of Teddie, Yu and Rise celebrated in their way, affirming they were alive and had made it through yet another trial. Rise cried out softly as she clung to Yu, flushed and sweaty and beautiful. Yu held her close as he helped ease her down from her peak, relishing her skin against his.

“Oh, darling,” Rise gasped, cuddling close to him as she caught her breath. “Damn, that’s…”

“I love you,” Yu murmured, pressing soft kisses along her jaw before capturing her lips. “My darling. My Rise.”

“I love you,” Rise responded softly, looking up into his eyes. As the hectic color faded from her cheeks, he realized she looked perfectly at peace for the first time in a while.

“Yen for your thoughts,” Yu said, stroking her hair back as he settled into the blankets.

Rise rested on his chest with a sigh of contentment, running her fingertips absently up and down his side. “Today was perfect,” she admitted. “I’ve always had a bit of a question left about the whole Persona business, because it came to an end so abruptly. I missed it. Missed seeing everything and working with my Persona to support the team. Today, though…”

“We got to revisit that part of ourselves,” Yu agreed softly.

“And I realized I didn’t want to go back,” Rise murmured. “It was nice to have the abilities again, don’t get me wrong. But I could feel the Thieves thrumming in the background all the time, especially their navigator. They were so laser-focused and dangerous and lovely, and I realized they had it in hand. Having us there was helpful for them, but they didn’t _need_ us.” She pressed a gentle kiss against the corner of Yu’s mouth. “You need me. Ichiro needs me. My family and friends need me, and you don’t need me to use a Persona to fit into my place in your lives.”

Yu chased her mouth and returned the gentle kiss, smoothing her hair back and running his blunt nails down the back of her neck. “It was nice to have that connection to my Personas again,” he admitted. “I’ve missed the rush and thrill of combat. But I’m also _exhausted_ now that it’s over. I don’t remember being this tired, except for when I first awakened to my abilities.”

“We’re older now,” Rise said, giving him a sleepy smile. “We have other ways to find that thrill, ways that don’t require a katana.”

“I’m still pretty damn good with my katana, you have to admit,” Yu chuckled, nuzzling her hair.

“Mm, never denied it. You looked _delicious_ in that leather jacket with your katana on your hip.”

“I’ll have to wear those more often, then, if they get me that sort of reaction from you.”

Rise grinned up at him before yawning and closing her eyes. “You should,” she agreed. “After we get some sleep.”

“Good night, my love,” Yu murmured, drawing little patterns on her skin as he closed his eyes.

“Good night, darling.”


	2. Epilogue - Christmas Day

The next morning was everything Yu and Rise could have wanted for their son’s first Christmas. He slept until seven, which was surprisingly late for him, and woke in an excellent mood. He cooed at his parents, clinging to Rise’s hair and nightshirt as she carried him into the main living space. When she put him down on the floor, he crawled over to the small stack of presents under the tree and plopped his butt down, grabbing at the closest one to him.

“That one’s for you!” Rise encouraged him, sitting next to him on the floor as Yu turned the television on to a channel playing Christmas music.

Screeching in delight, Ichiro waved the present over his head at his mother before dropping it on the floor so he could rip it open.

Yu laughed as he sat next to his wife and child, handing them his presents.

The day passed quietly, flowing around them as they laughed and cuddled and ate delicious meals. The previous day had been about saving the world, but Christmas Day was all about their little family.

One of the highlights was the video call they had with the Investigation Team members back in Inaba, after dinner. Naoto was very pregnant, and complained to Rise about how tired she always was these days. (“How the hell did you deal with this while singing and dancing? I feel like I weigh a million pounds!” “It wasn’t as easy as I made it look, trust me…”)

The mood did turn somber, though, as Yu and Rise took turns telling the Investigation Team about the Persona business the previous day.

“I _knew_ it!” Naoto exclaimed, slapping the table in front of her in her enthusiasm. “I _told_ you the Thieves had to be Persona users!”

“And you were right,” Yu agreed, nodding. “We didn’t get a chance to talk to them, but I did see them.”

“Was it weird?” Yosuke asked. “Seeing them doing the same sort of things we used to?”

“Yes and no,” Yu said thoughtfully. “Their leader made me think of you, though: he used knives instead of a sensible long blade.”

“Up close carnage for the win!” Yosuke whooped, then yelped as Chie elbowed him hard in the ribs.

“Can’t get much more up close and personal than kicking someone in the face,” Chie sniffed.

“Or using a bladed fan,” Yukiko murmured.

“Or smacking them with bear claws!” Teddie chirped happily.

“Yeah, partner, you and Kanji are the only ones who didn’t get up close and personal,” Yosuke teased.

Naoto shot him a Look. “Because a _pistol_ is such an excellent melee weapon,” she remarked dryly.

“Fiiiine, Naoto too,” Yosuke said, rolling his eyes. “Hah, I just realized the two tallest people and the shortest person were the ones using weapons that kept people far away.”

“Coming back on topic…” Yu said mildly. “The world has returned to normal, and I expect the kids will take a few days to recover before starting to go back to their…” He paused, turning his head with a frown as he heard the Christmas music cut off on the television. “Ichiro?”

“No, he’s right here,” Rise said, squeezing their son’s leg as she turned to look at the television as well.

The Investigation Team fell silent as Yu got up and went to the television, turning up the volume as the special announcement came through: the leader of the Phantom Thieves had been arrested.

“Holy _shit!_ ” Yosuke exclaimed as the kid’s mug shot came up on the television. “What the hell, partner?! Why the hell is he being _arrested_?”

“That ain’t right,” Kanji grunted, speaking up for the first time since the call started. “He saves their ungrateful asses, and they thank him by arrestin’ him?”

Yu strained to hear if the announcer said the kid’s name. He didn’t, and Yu scowled to himself. “Damn it,” he muttered, exchanging a look with Rise. He _still_ didn’t know who those kids were.

“We have to do _something_!” Chie exclaimed. “Maybe I can get Dojima to call in a few favors as police chief?”

“Why would the Tokyo police listen to the chief from a podunk little town like Inaba?” Yosuke asked.

“They might listen to the Detective Prince,” Yukiko suggested, giving Naoto a sidelong look.

Naoto was on her phone, flipping through news articles. “Which one?” she asked acerbically. “That hotshot kid is the only one most of Tokyo knows these days.”

“You know that’s not true,” Rise said, shaking her head. “All of the news outlets around here call him the second coming of the Detective Prince, and they reference you every time.”

“I’m just glad he hasn’t been on the news lately,” Kanji grunted. “Nao would get pissy every time he showed up on the screen.”

“I would _not_!” Naoto protested, glaring at her husband. He grinned and kissed her as she swatted at him. “Interesting factoid, however: according to a source of mine at the news station, the police weren’t the ones who made the initial announcement to the news. The news stations got an anonymous tip, and then received the mug shot when they reached out to the police for comment.”

The Investigation Team fell silent, considering that new piece of information. “That’s bear-y interesting,” Teddie said at last. “Who made that anonymous tip?”

“I have a guess,” Yu said quietly. When the rest of the Team looked at him, he raised an eyebrow at them. “Isn’t it obvious? They are Thieves, and the law takes a dim view of their activities, based on the news releases we’ve seen here.”

“Here too,” Yukiko nodded. “And?”

“So the Tokyo police have a…let’s say a _reputation_ for how they handle prisoners. Especially prisoners who have been giving them trouble.”

“You don’t think…?” Rise went pale. “That they would hurt Joker?”

“Why not?” Naoto said quietly, setting her phone down on the table and looking at it as if it were a piece of garbage that had stuck to the bottom of her shoe. “They hurt him before, when they captured him last month.”

Everyone turned to look at her, eyes wide. “What?” Chie breathed.

“It’s apparently an open secret within the police force. He underwent interrogation in an effort to get him to sign a confession of guilt.” Naoto didn’t look at her friends, her mouth twisted to the side. “He did sign, in the end.”

“Most people would when _tortured_ ,” Yosuke spat, shaking his head viciously. “That’s…horrible isn’t a strong enough word.”

“Barbaric,” Naoto said, clipping each syllable out sharply. “A perversion of true _justice_.”

“Hey, Nao,” Kanji said, his voice going soft as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “We can’t fix what happened then, not without a damned good time machine.” The weak joke managed to get a small smile from her, and he continued, “But we can and will work to help him get real justice this time, yeah? Try to breathe, you’re shakin’ like a leaf.”

Naoto took a long, slow breath and nodded. “We will work on our end to see what can be done,” she said. “The Shirogane name goes a long way, even in Tokyo. We might be able to help.”

“That’s all anyone can ask,” Yu said, wishing he could reach through the computer and reassure them. “Until then, let’s try to enjoy the rest of our Christmas. The kids won through the attempted end of the world; that’s an enormous victory. This is just one more hurdle in their paths.”

“Hell of a hurdle,” Yosuke muttered, shaking his head.

“Not like we haven’t dealt with worse,” Chie said, flashing her best confident smile. “We’ll figure it out!”

The Investigation Team brightened a little as they took comfort in that, and the topic changed to a brighter one. Naoto stayed pretty quiet throughout, and Yu made a mental note to call and talk to her later about everything.

Later that evening, when Ichiro was in bed with his new stuffed animals and dressed in adorable pajamas Yukiko had sent him, Yu and Rise settled onto the couch with glasses of wine.

Rise snuggled into her husband, resting her head on his shoulder as she relaxed. “On the whole, a successful first Christmas for Ichiro,” she remarked.

“I think so,” Yu agreed, kissing her hair before sipping his wine. “He seemed thrilled to crawl into the boxes and eat the wrapping paper.”

Rise laughed softly. “It’s like having a cat, when they’re more interested in the wrapping the gift comes in than the gift itself.” She sipped her wine, and he felt her melt a little more against him as he wrapped an arm around her waist. After a moment’s silence, she sighed. “I can’t stop thinking about the Thieves. The timing seems odd.”

Yu tipped his head a little to the side. “How do you mean?”

“They defeated whatever they were fighting yesterday, and their leader is arrested today? Doesn’t that seem odd?”

“Mm.” Yu considered that. “I suppose so. I wonder what happened behind the scenes.”

“Maybe we’ll find out someday.” Rise sighed and kissed Yu’s jaw. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to spoil the mood.”

“You haven’t, darling,” Yu replied, returning the soft kiss. “It’s natural to worry about them, since we _were_ them just a few years ago.”

“I suppose.” Rise snuggled into him, closing her eyes.

Yu watched her fondly, drawing idle patterns on her sweater as she finished her wine and began slowly drifting off to sleep. When he was sure she was asleep, he rested his chin on her head and exhaled slowly. He was worried about the Thieves as well, if he were to be completely honest. But he didn’t know who any of them were. He knew Joker’s given name was Ren. If he were an adult, his name would be part of the public records after his arrest, but Joker was a teenager. It was unlikely his name would be released at all.

He mulled over the thought for a moment longer before dismissing it with a sigh. Right now, his priority was his wife and child. He would consider the Thieves later, when he had time and energy to do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for joining me for this fun little holiday drabble! Huge thanks to luna_tiger for loaning me Ichiro; I enjoyed playing with the smol! Keep your eyes peeled around February for the next entry in this series, and until then, have a happy Christmas and an amazing New Year!

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Christmas Eve, everyone! The epilogue will drop tomorrow, since it takes place on Christmas Day. Comments are always welcomed!


End file.
